Coast Guard detention in Miami forces MSC Poesia to cancel 11-night Caribbean cruise

What the Coast Guard has said, and what it has not

Coast Guard Sector Miami detained the MSC Poesia on Sunday, 1 November. The agency called the action an expanded examination of the vessel. The ship had been due to leave that afternoon.

The agency said its teams were verifying the ship's compliance with international standards and U.S. regulations. It said the Captain of the Port's priority was the safety of passengers, crew, the vessel and the environment. The Coast Guard said the identified issues involved systems on board but did not disclose details, saying the examination was ongoing. Under that program, foreign-flagged ships calling at U.S. ports face examinations. Serious deficiencies can ground a vessel.

The Coast Guard has not said what prompted the expanded examination. It has not said when it might clear the ship to depart.

Passengers refunded and given until Thursday to leave

MSC cancelled the sailing. It told passengers around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 3 November, according to a passenger on board who spoke to Cruise Radio. Guests had then spent more than two days aboard. The ship never left the dock.

Before the cancellation, MSC told CBS News that departure faced a delay while the Coast Guard carried out its inspection. The company said it was cooperating fully. MSC said guests would receive a full refund of their cruise fare, plus support in arranging their travel home. MSC allowed them to stay aboard until noon on Thursday, 5 November, to make travel arrangements. The company said a regulatory matter arose before departure. It could not be resolved in time for the sailing to proceed. MSC apologised for the disruption. "We recognize how disappointing and frustrating this news is for our guests," it said in a statement.

The ship and the cancelled itinerary

The cancelled voyage was an 11-night round trip from Miami, running from 1 November to 12 November. Calls included Jamaica, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and Belize.

Reports give different figures for the ship's maximum capacity. CruiseMapper, citing media reports, said more than 2,000 people were aboard when the ship was detained, against a maximum capacity of about 2,550. Travelweek and gCaptain list capacity at 3,223 passengers, while Cruise Radio says the ship carries more than 3,200. The number of guests aboard the cancelled sailing has not been confirmed.

The 92,627-gross-ton ship was built in 2008, measures 294 metres and carries about 1,039 crew. It completed its Alaska season before repositioning to Miami for the winter Caribbean deployment.

What happens next

MSC Poesia's next scheduled voyage is a 10-night Caribbean cruise departing Miami on 12 November. MSC has not announced any changes to that sailing.

A Coast Guard spokesperson did not answer questions about whether the detention would affect other MSC cruises. The Coast Guard said it would release more information when possible.